The Island Colonials Youth Hockey League provides opportunities for children aged 4-18 to learn the fundamentals of ice hockey and the basic concepts of team play.
The Island Colonials offer teams at the Mite (4-8), Squirt (9-10), Pee Wee (11-12), Bantam (13-14), and new for the 2023-24 season, Midget U16/U18 levels.
To be eligible, players must have skated in the RMU-ISC Learn to Play Hockey program and passed Hockey II (or the equivalent at another rink), or participated in the 2023-24 Island Colonials or a recreational / competitive house league program during the 2023-24 season.
If your child has not passed the Hockey II test and you feel they have gained the skills to pass, please contact us to schedule a testing date:
Blaine Buterbaugh - buterbaugh@rmu.edu
Jake Coleman – colemanj@rmu.edu
Bri Medved – medved@rmu.edu
Joe Cummings - cummings@rmu.edu
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE ISLAND COLONIALS YOUTH HOUSE LEAGUE.
WHEN DOES THE SEASON BEGIN AND END?
The season begins Saturday, September 7, 2024, and runs through Wednesday March 19, 2025. There are no games or practices during Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Martin Luther King Day weekends.
HOW DO I KNOW WHAT AGE CLASSIFICATION MY PLAYER SHOULD REGISTER FOR?
Players should register based on the 2024-2025 USA Hockey Age Classifications below
Mite / U8 Players born 2016 and later
Squirt / U10 Players born 2014 & 2015
Pee Wee / U12 Players born 2012 & 2013
Bantam / U14 Players born 2010 & 2011
Midget / U16 & U18 Players born 2006-2009
HOW ARE PLAYERS PICKED FOR A TEAM, IS THERE A TRYOUT?
Each RMU Island Colonials season begins with a series of evaluations. The evaluations are used to rank players within each specific age classification and ultimately help in drafting teams. The goal of each draft session is to create balanced teams per age classification to start the season. Detailed information about the evaluation format will be shared with registered players prior to the evaluation date.
WHEN ARE PLAYER EVALUATIONS?
The evaluations will take place over three weekends in September.
WEEK ONE
September 7 or September 8, 2024
Week one will feature a "break the ice" practice. This slot is an opportunity for your player "knock off the rust" if he or she has not been on the ice in a few weeks or even months. Evaluations will not take place during this slot. Your players actual date and time will be assigned toward the end of August once the majority of registrations have been captured.
WEEK TWO
September 13, 14, or 15, 2024
Week two will feature individual skills evaluation. This slot will focus on evaluating your player's individual skills compared to his/her peers. The overall results of this week will determine your player's ice slot for Week Three.
WEEK THREE
September 21 or 22, 2024
Week Three will feature a series of small area games and scrimmages. Your player's ice slot this week is determined by his/her ranking during Week Two and will be emailed to you by Wednesday September 18, 2024.
Actual report times will be finalized on or before Wednesday, August 28, 2024, based on actual registrations.
TENTATIVE EVALUATION SCHEDULE:
**Alpha Schedule will be assigned on or before 8/28**
MITE U8
Day |
Date |
Rink |
Start |
End |
Note |
Who |
Sunday |
9/8/2024 |
Clearview |
11:45 AM |
12:35 PM |
General Practice |
A-D'a |
Sunday |
9/8/2024 |
Clearview |
12:45 PM |
1:35 PM |
General Practice |
D'b-J |
Sunday |
9/8/2024 |
Clearview |
1:45 PM |
2:35 PM |
General Practice |
K-Pe |
Sunday |
9/8/2024 |
Clearview |
2:45 PM |
3:35 PM |
General Practice |
Pf-Z |
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Saturday |
9/14/2024 |
Clearview |
9:00 AM |
10:00 AM |
Individual Skills |
A-D'a |
Saturday |
9/14/2024 |
Clearview |
10:10 AM |
11:10 AM |
Individual Skills |
D'b-J |
Saturday |
9/14/2024 |
Clearview |
11:20 AM |
12:20 PM |
Individual Skills |
K-Pe |
Saturday |
9/14/2024 |
Clearview |
12:30 PM |
1:30 PM |
Individual Skills |
Pf-Z |
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Saturday |
9/21/2023 |
Stadium |
9:00 AM |
10:10 AM |
Mite Game A |
TBD |
Saturday |
9/21/2023 |
Stadium |
10:20 AM |
11:30 AM |
Mite Game B |
TBD |
Saturday |
9/21/2023 |
Stadium |
11:40 AM |
12:50 PM |
Mite Game C |
TBD |
SQUIRT U10
Day |
Date |
Rink |
Start |
End |
Note |
Who |
Saturday |
9/7/2024 |
Clearview |
12:00 PM |
12:50 PM |
General Practice |
A-Ga |
Saturday |
9/7/2024 |
Clearview |
1:00 PM |
1:50 PM |
General Practice |
Gb-M |
Saturday |
9/7/2024 |
Clearview |
2:00 PM |
2:50 PM |
General Practice |
N-Z |
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Sunday |
9/15/2024 |
Clearview |
8:00 AM |
9:00 AM |
Individual Skills |
A-Ga |
Sunday |
9/15/2024 |
Clearview |
9:10 AM |
10:10 AM |
Individual Skills |
Gb-M |
Sunday |
9/15/2024 |
Clearview |
10:20 AM |
11:20 AM |
Individual Skills |
N-Z |
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Sunday |
9/22/2024 |
Stadium |
9:00 AM |
10:10 AM |
Squirt Game A |
TBD |
Sunday |
9/22/2024 |
Stadium |
10:20 AM |
11:30 AM |
Squirt Game B |
TBD |
Sunday |
9/22/2024 |
Stadium |
11:40 AM |
12:50 PM |
Squirt Game C |
TBD |
PEE WEE U12
Day |
Date |
Rink |
Start |
End |
Note |
Who |
Sunday |
9/8/2024 |
Clearview |
3:45 PM |
4:35 PM |
General Practice |
A-Hi |
Sunday |
9/8/2024 |
Clearview |
4:45 PM |
5:35 PM |
General Practice |
Ho-R |
Sunday |
9/8/2024 |
Clearview |
5:45 PM |
6:35 PM |
General Practice |
S-Z |
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Sunday |
9/15/2024 |
Clearview |
11:30 AM |
12:30 PM |
Individual Skills |
A-Hi |
Sunday |
9/15/2024 |
Clearview |
12:40 PM |
1:40 PM |
Individual Skills |
Ho-R |
Sunday |
9/15/2024 |
Clearview |
1:50 PM |
2:50 PM |
Individual Skills |
S-Z |
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Sunday |
9/22/2024 |
Stadium |
1:00 PM |
2:10 PM |
PW Game A |
TBD |
Sunday |
9/22/2024 |
Stadium |
2:20 PM |
3:30 PM |
PW Game B |
TBD |
Sunday |
9/22/2024 |
Stadium |
3:40 PM |
4:50 PM |
PW Game C |
TBD |
Bantam/Midget
Day |
Date |
Rink |
Start |
End |
Note |
Who |
Saturday |
9/7/2024 |
Clearview |
3:00 PM |
3:50 PM |
Bantam/Midget Practice |
A-G |
Saturday |
9/7/2024 |
Clearview |
4:00 PM |
4:50 PM |
Bantam/Midget Practice |
H-Mc |
Saturday |
9/7/2024 |
Clearview |
5:00 PM |
5:50 PM |
Bantam/Midget Practice |
Me-Z |
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Friday |
9/13/2024 |
Olympic |
6:00 PM |
6:50 PM |
Bantam/Midget Ind. Skills |
A-G |
Friday |
9/13/2024 |
Olympic |
7:00 PM |
7:50 PM |
Bantam/Midget Ind. Skills |
H-Mc |
Friday |
9/13/2024 |
Olympic |
8:00 PM |
8:50 PM |
Bantam/Midget Ind. Skills |
Me-Z |
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Saturday |
9/21/2024 |
Stadium |
1:00 PM |
2:10 PM |
Bantam/Midget Game A |
TBD |
Saturday |
9/21/2024 |
Stadium |
2:20 PM |
3:30 PM |
Bantam/Midget Game B |
TBD |
WHAT DAYS OF THE WEEK DO THE COLONIALS SKATE?
In general, our players will practice on Saturday and play games on Sunday. We also have limited weekday ice that will serve as practice slots for Squirt-Midget teams throughout the season as needed.
Standard Ice times are:
Day |
Early Start |
Late Start |
Who |
Sunday |
7:15 AM |
5:15 PM |
All |
Monday |
6:30 PM |
7:45 PM |
Squirt through Midget Levels will rotate through these slots |
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Wednesday |
6:10 PM |
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Dedicated Mite 1(Limited Travel) Practice slot. |
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Friday |
6:00 PM |
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6:00 pm dedicated Mite 1(Limited Travel) Power Skate Slot |
Friday |
6:30 PM |
8:30 PM |
Squirt through Midget Levels will rotate through these slots |
Saturday |
12:00 PM |
7:30 PM |
All |
WHEN WILL I KNOW MY PLAYERS SCHEDULE?
Season schedules will be released after teams are picked early October.
MY PLAYER HAS A FRIEND THAT IS ALSO IN THE LEAGUE, CAN THEY PLAY ON THE SAME TEAM?
Players that are of the same age classification can utilize our carpool option which ensures they will be drafted to the same team provided they are placed in the same tier per their skills evaluation
As an example, two U8-aged players want to play on the same team and utilize the carpool option. After the individual skills evaluation players are grouped into the same game skills evaluation and ultimately end up in the same tier…..these players would be drafted to the same team.
Conversely, two U8-aged players want to play on the same team and utilize the carpool option. After the individual skills evaluation and the game skills evaluation t is determined that these two players will be competing in different tiers. As such the carpool will not be honored and they will be drafted on different teams in different tiers.
Registration
Like previous seasons, we anticipate certain levels of the House League will be full prior to our first week on the ice; therefore, we offer the following priority registration options to help manage who can register for the league and when.
Priority 1
Those players who participated in the 2023-2024 RMU Island Colonials, players who participated in our Learn to Play Hockey program or Lil Pen's program at RMU-ISC between Sept. 2023 and July 2024, and players who played on the 2023-2024 Arctic Foxes have guaranteed roster spot in the 2024-2025 RMU Island Colonials provided they register before Monday, July 31, 2024.
Priority 2
Starting Friday, August 2, 2024, 9:00 am, and based on available spots, siblings of players in Priority 1 and people who have moved in from outside the Tri-State area within the past six months, may register. To qualify as a person who has moved in from out of town you MUST first contact Blaine Buterbaugh, (buterbaugh@rmu.edu) and receive an e-mail that says you are allowed to register under this situation for Priority 2.
Priority 3
Open registration begins Tuesday, August 6, 2024, at 9:00 am, based on spots available.
All registrations must be made online.